Welcome!! You can call me either Cothney or Coco. After a superb study year abroad experience in France, I came back passionate and driven to push beyond preconceived limits.
I am deeply curious, therefore I love researching.. In my first summer as a scholar, I focused on 'Mapping colonial subjects from the French Resistance'. While doing the research, I had cross cultural experiences between France and the UK.
During my LIA period, I have partnered with 'Star Top Community School', to teach in a local community school in Lusaka, Zambia; I acted as their LIA Champion from Summer 2025 till Summer 2026 .
I recently accomplished graduating from the University of Leeds. Glory be to God for it!
Ask me more if you would like to. Particularly If you are into sports, spirituality, nature, and travelling don't hesitate to reach out!
Bhavana Akilan
Laidlaw Undergraduate Leadership & Research Scholar 2023-24, University of Toronto
I am a college sophomore at the prestigious University of Toronto, Scarborough double majoring in Neuroscience and Human Biology. I am a proud recipient of the Laidlaw Foundation Undergraduate Leadership and Research Scholarship 2023. My research project aims to explore the feasibility of a Deep Learning model to diagnose Alzheimer's disease at an early stage with the help of open-source EEG datasets. Having been part of the winning team at the Ontario Shores x UTSC The Hub's Hackathon, my team won a prize money of $5000 and the opportunity to work closely with Ontario Shores in the future to implement our AI-powered solution to help them navigate their database of internal and external resources more effectively. I work as a Research Assistant at the Therapeutic Interventions for Psychosis Lab at UTSC under Dr Michael Best. I have contributed to monthly article summaries, literature reviews and systematic reviews, in addition to assessing participants for clinical trials. I am familiar with administering a battery of tests, including MCCB, RR, WRAT-5, PANSS6, PSYRATS, BNSS, EEG tasks as well as computer-based tests. I have conducted in-person clinical interviews as well, which helped me understand the level of skill and ethic required while interacting with participants as well as fellow researchers. Some of my other research experiences include my role as a Transcriber for The Scoliosis Success Project at the University of British Columbia, as well as my role as a research student at COBWEB UTSC under Dr Brad Bass. My research interests include Alzheimer's disease, AI in Healthcare, Schizophrenia, fear expression in cases of sociopathy and caregiver stress. I possess extensive volunteer experience as a Youth Ambassador for EKAM foundation. Some causes that I am passionate about include Women and Children's healthcare, Organ Donation as well as Women in STEM. I truly believe that it is important to know who you are before making a decision about what you want to be. Instead of prematurely focusing on one area, I wish to learn, adapt and dive into the future with the determination to grow.
Pianist and learning enthusiast. Tremendously interested in Robotics and its various applications.
Welcome to MedStat! My website about all things medicine :)
Read all about the biological basis of love in my Article ‘ Everything is Everything, but Better with You’!
Here’s my publication on the underlying Pathology and Novel Treatments for Heart Failure with a Reduced Ejection Fraction!
Namaste!
I'm Snaiha, a medical student at Trinity College Dublin. My ambition is to be a paediatric cardiothoracic surgeon while simultaneously dabbling in research, especially in molecular medicine and neuroscience which I find extremely interesting!
I have medical publications both completed and ongoing in cardiology, pharmacology, medical humanities, and anatomy! I am an avid reader and enjoy Manga creation, still life drawing, and photography. I am also passionate about lifestyle and fitness, being a PADI Advanced Open Water Certified Diver, and a gym enthusiast! Fun Fact : my name means Love and I’m about all things heart!
Laidlaw Scholar 2024/2025
Geography and Geoscience Student at Trinity College Dublin
Research Project Title:
Investigating how trace concentrations of fluorine impact the growth of the most important carbonate biomineral, calcite.
Hello everyone. My name is Samantha and I am junior in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. I am pursuing a major in International Politics and a minor in Cognitive Science. I am originally from Connecticut. In my free time, I enjoy reading realistic fiction novels and going on walks.
For my research summer, my faculty mentored project was titled African American Resiliency in the British Caribbean and I conducted research under Professor Anita Gonzalez of the American American Studies Department at Georgetown. The project focused on Cat Island, one of the out islands in The Bahamas, and explored the culture of Cat Island by mapping the island’s foodways, music traditions, and histories. Research methods included conducting oral interviews with local residents of Cat Island and participating in cultural practices. Ultimately, the project examined how Bahamian culture reflects the resiliency of Black populations that have survived forced migration and enslavement in the Caribbean.
For my Leadership-in-Action project, I worked at Yahad - in Unum in Paris, France. The nonprofit is dedicated to investigating mass atrocities through interviewing witnesses and examining the sites of mass graves. Currently, Yahad has ongoing investigations in Eastern Europe, Guatemala, Iraq, and Ukraine. Additionally, the organization prioritizes genocide education. My independent project is dedicated to creating a Holocaust education workshop in collaboration with a museum in South Africa.
Hello! My name is Eoin; I am from Southampton in the UK with most of my family being from Ireland. I am currently studying neuroscience at University College London (UCL). It has been a lifelong ambition of mine to become a researcher and I am grateful to have been part of the Laidlaw Scholarship program to help me achieve my dreams. I spent my first-year research project working at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, under the supervision of Doctor Sarah White. My project investigated the Theory of the Mind as a potential cause of discrimination against individuals with depression. I used an eye-tracking paradigm on human participants as a measure of intergroup bias between depressed and non-depressed participants. The study concluded, contrary to expectations, that Theory of Mind was most implicated in discrimination of non-depressed subjects by depressed subjects. For my second-year leadership in action project (LiA), I taught primary school children in Zambia while living with the family of the school's headteacher (Mercy Sakala). I chose this project as it was a chance to see the world and experience a different culture. Moreover, it gave me the privilege of teaching some of the most enthusiastic young learners I have ever known. I spent most of my time teaching and helping with the logistics of building a new library for the school. My time in Zambia was made much easier by the kindness of Mercy and her family who were more than accommodating to my needs. At the moment I am studying in the third year of my Msci neuroscience degree while working on my dissertation. I am more than happy to discuss any topic, whether it regards neuroscience, biosciences more generally, psychology, Laidlaw, or anything you think is pertinent. I generally respond to emails within a day so please message me if you wish. :)
Hi There! I am Sharon, a rising junior studying Business and Global Affairs at Georgetown University. I am minoring in statistics and planning on pursuing a career in international development, with a specific focus on bridging the aid-development gap to mitigate protracted displacement around the world.
For my Laidlaw research project, I am working with Professor Christi Smith of Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration to study the phenomenon of increasing Consulting publications and work on migration and refugee integration-related issues. I aim to explore how the emergence of a new organizational form in the refugee services space might shift the course of refugee incorporation during a time of increasing forced migration and rising political polarization, and its potential policy implications.
Our study analyzes 24 publicly available consulting reports using mixed methods to identify prominent and distinguishable patterns and themes. We are also conducting interviews with consultants to explore the internal and external factors contributing to these themes. By contrasting these findings with those from the public sector and NGOs, we aim to highlight different approaches to migration and refugee issues.
In my free time, I like to dance (my faves are Chinese Folk and Classical Dances!), watch TV shows, and spend quality time with my siblings! I love food and are always excited to try out new cuisines! I believe that nonverbal and nonwritten communication, including all performance art and culinary practices, are powerful ways to build connections and enhance cross-cultural appreciation and dynamism.
One fun fact about me is that I am an identical twin. My sister, Susan (got our name from The Parent Trap lol) also attends Georgetown University and studies Human Science on the pre-med track.
Would love to connect with anyone interested in discussing anything in the realm of social and political science or on their journey exploring their faith as I am, so don't hesitate to reach out :)
Hi everyone! I am a rising junior at Georgetown University majoring in International Politics and minoring in Justice and Peace Studies. A fun fact about myself is that I always wanted to be a commercial pilot, and I still do. The research I will be delving into this summer will focus on analyzing educational textbooks in the Dominican Republic and how they perpetuate anti-Haitian sentiments. For context, the Dominican Republic and Haiti have strained relations, which has fostered concern within the Caribbean community and has prevented critical collaboration in times of need. The Dominican Republic recently announced a plan to nationalize educational books, closing educators’ access to independently published textbooks. I’ll analyze the historical context within public school textbooks and how they differ, weighing one’s socioeconomic status and the source of the textbooks. I’ll gauge the findings with real-life impacts on Haitian residents within the country and draw connections on the effects of education on exacerbating anti-Haitian sentiments in the country. I’m excited to embark on this journey to research and push beyond the conventional. I hope to plant a seed of knowledge that could transform the social landscape in the Dominican Republic and foster a culture of acceptance.
Amber is a Bachelor of Psychology student at The University of Hong Kong. As a Laidlaw Scholar from the 2024 cohort, she completed her research project, titled “Reading Through Gaming in Primary School,” at the University of Leeds and volunteered with the Red Cross in Taiwan (Pingtung County) during her second summer.
Human Sciences finalist at University of Oxford, with a particular interest in health promotion and creation.
Away from my studies, I am a keen triathlete, and love reading, tennis and cooking!